Chapter 11 - The Attorney
Martin Shaw had represented Atelier Cole for sixteen years.
He had written Sophia’s shareholder agreements, handled Edward’s estate planning, and attended Eleanor Reed’s funeral.
Sophia had trusted him enough to let him hold original copies of her mother’s corporate papers.
Now police had video of him taking a gown from a woman suspected of fraud.
Martin answered his phone on the third ring.
“Sophia, I was about to call you.”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
Ortiz shook her head. A patrol unit was already outside Martin’s house. His car was gone.
Sophia kept her voice steady. “We need to talk about my ownership transfer.”
A pause.
“Of course.”
“And the blue gown.”
Silence.
Then the line disconnected.
By evening, investigators found Martin’s car at Newark Airport.
He had not boarded a flight.
Security footage showed him entering the terminal with one suitcase and leaving twenty minutes later without it.
The suitcase turned up in a locker.
Inside were shredded papers, two burner phones, and the blue gown.
Ortiz brought the gown to an evidence room rather than opening it at the atelier.
Rachel’s message had been specific: look inside the hem.
A forensic technician carefully cut a few stitches.
Something hard slid out.
A microSD card.
Sophia closed her eyes.
Rachel had hidden evidence inside a wedding dress.
The card contained photographs of altered invoices, insurance claims, cash ledgers, and private text messages between Monica, Grant, and Martin.
One text from Grant read:
WHEN SOPHIA TAKES CONTROL, WE’RE DONE.
Another from Martin answered:
THEN MAKE SURE SHE NEVER TAKES CONTROL.
Sophia’s throat went dry.
Ortiz scrolled further.
There was one more file.
A scanned letter dated eleven years earlier.
It was signed by Sophia’s mother.
May you like
The first line read:
Edward, if anything happens to me, do not let Grant Ellis near my daughter.
